Container having cooperative lid and handle



Jan. 20, 1970 J. LISS ETAL CONTAINER HAVING COOPERATIVE LID AND HANDLE Filed July 17, 1968 United States Patent 3,490,640 CONTAINER HAVING COOPERATIVE LID AND HANDLE Jules Iiss, New York, N.Y. (8540 Somerset St., Jamaica,

N.Y. 11432), and Martin Liss, New York, N.Y. (Mayfair Drive N., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11234) Filed July 17, 1968, Ser. No. 745,469 Int. Cl. B65d 43/16, 51/10 US. Cl. 220-36 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates generally to the field of portable containers for storing bulk or particulate material, and more particularly to a container of this class having a carrying handle and lid means maintained in captive relation with respect to the handle.

It is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide an improved container of this class in which the cover may be opened or closed by merely moving the handle thereof in a predetermined direction.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a container of the class described in which the cost of fabrication may be of a reasonably low order, with consequent wide sale, distribution and use.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a container of the class described, and possessed of the above advantages, which may present an unusually attractive appearance.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved container of the class described in which the container cover thereof may be automatically closed when the device is manually lifted by the handle.

These objects, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will more fully appear in the progress of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevation view thereof.

FIGURE 3 is a rear perspective view thereof.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical central sectional view thereof, partly in elevation.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view thereof, similar to that seen in FIGURE 4, but showing certain of the component parts in altered relative position.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing the same component parts in still further altered relative position.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view as seen from the plane 7-7 in FIGURE 4.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated by reference character 10, comprises broadly: A container element 11, a lid element 12, and a handle element 13.

The container element 11 may be formed as a molding from suitable synthetic resinous material, such as polyethylene, polystyrene or other synthetic resinous material having similar properties. It includes a lower wall 15, interconnected at an angular edge 16 to a frustoconical tapered side wall 17. The wall 17 includes an angularly disposed upper edge 18 bordered by a lip 19. As best seen in FIGURE 6, the lip is disposed at approximately a 60 degree angle with respect to the principal axis of the container element 11, rather than at a right angle, as is conventional with devices of this type. The positioning of the lip at such an angle forms a convenient pouring spout for the device, and permits of the cooperative interaction between the lid element 12 and handle element 13 described hereinbelow.

The lid element 12 may also be preferably formed from synthetic resinous material, and includes an ovate end wall 22 bounded by an outer surface 23 and an inner surface 24. A peripheral edge 25 interconnects with a lip 26 including an inner surface 27 and an outer surface 28 meeting at a free edge 32. Disposed on opposite sides of the wall 22 are a pair of integrally formed lugs 29 and 30, which lugs are forwardly disposed of the principal vertical axis of container element 11, when lid element 12 rests in closed position as a cover on the edge of container, lip 19.

The rear edge (right side) of the openings 31 in the lugs 29 and 30 are thus forward of the principal vertical axis of the container element when the lid element is in closed position. Hence when side portions 35 and 36 of the handle element 13 pass through the openings 31 in the lid element, said handle element 13 lies slightly forward of center when not in use, providing a slight weight on the cover element to resist possible unintentional opening of the device and provide a better beginning to the lifting action of the handle element when the same is pushed rearwardly to open the cover. This effect is enhanced by the provision of a slight bend in the handle element, as best seen in FIGURES 1, 4 and 5.

In the alternative (not shown) the lugs 29 and 30 may be part of a total oval shape of the cover, thus making it oversized.

The handle element 13 may be conveniently formed from stiff metallic wire, and includes a transversely extending manually engageable portion 34, a pair of side portions 35 and 36, and hooked portions 37 and 38 which engage corresponding openings 39 and 40 in the container element 11. It will be observed that the openings 39 and 40 are located preferably on the vertical center line of the container element 11.

The device 10 is conveniently opened, without manually contacting the cover by merely moving the handle element 13 rightwardly as seen in FIGURES l and 6 while the device is in generally vertical position. This movement results in the transmission of force to the lowermost edge of the openings 31 in the lugs 29 and 30, which force is transmitted through the plane of the wall 22 to the lip 26. At the instant of application of this force, owing to the tilted relation of the lid element with respect to the container element, the force of gravity which normally retains the lid element in closed position is easily overcome, and the inner surface 27 at the uppermostpoint thereof slides readily over the lip 19 to disengage the lid from the opening. Further rightward movement allows the cover to move from the position shown in FIGURE 5 in the drawing to the position shown in FIGURE 6, at which point the lid may be retained in captive relation by the handle element. It is to be noted that the applied forces are transmitted through the plane of the end wall 22, and not through the plane of the lip 26, this action being assisted by an almost imperceptible upward movement of the lowermost portion 33 of the lip 26 prior to disengagement of the lip from the uppermost portion thereof.

The lid element 12 is returned to closed position by moving the handle leftwardly, wherein the lid will slide along the side portions 35 and 36 as it moves to vertically overlie the opening in the container.

It will be observed that the above action is possible because of the inclination of the opening in the container with respect to the principal vertical axis of the container. Where the opening lies in a horizontal plane, or one at right angles with respect to the principal axis of the container, the above described action is not possible since the force of gravity which always operates in a vertical direction would maintain the cover over the opening. However, when the opening and the cover therefor are oriented as in the instant disclosure, the force applied to the sides of the openings 31 is reacted by a force originating from the uppermost point of interconnection between the lid and the opening, resulting in an upward torque being applied to the lid in a counter clockwise direction as seen in FIGURES 4 and 5, whereby the lowermost part of the lid pivots about the upward most part thereof. Once this action has started, the point of application of force travels upwardly along the lengths of the side portions 35 and 36, as the cover freely slides thereon, and as the cover approaches a more horizontal position, the upper portion of the lip 26 which is still inclined at an angle with respect to the vertical commences to slide over the lip 19 to complete the disengagement of the cover element. It may be observed that this action cannot be repeated by moving the handle in a counter clockwise direction from that seen in FIGURES 1 and 4, since the force transmitted to the upper most edge of the opening 31 would tend to push the lid more firmly upon the opening than it is maintained by the force of gravity alone.

We wish it to be understood that we do not consider the invention limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

We claim:

1. A portable container comprising: a container element having a principal vertical axis and having a bottom wall and a continuous curved side wall defining an upper edge lying ina plane disposed at an angle other than a right angle with respect to said principal axis to define a lower portion and an upper portion thereof; a cover element including an end wall corresponding approximately in size and configuration to that of said opening and a periphery thereof, said end wall including a pair of opdownwardly extending lip perpendicularly connected to the positely disposed lugs extending laterally thereof, said lugs having openings therein; and a looped handle element including lower ends pivotally interconnected to the side wall of said container element, a pair of oppositely disposed side portions extending through said openings in said lugs, and a manually engageable portion interconnecting the upper ends of said side portions; whereby movement of said manually engageable portion in a direction toward said lower portion of said upper edge causes said upper edge to exert a carnming action on said lip on said cover element to disengage said upper edge of said container element, and to slidably uncover the opening enclosed thereby.

2. Structure in accordance with claim 1, in which the angle of the plane of said upper opening in said container element is at approximately degrees with respect to the vertical axis of said container element.

3. Structure in accordance with claim 2, in which both said container element and said lid element are formed from resilient synthetic resinous materials.

4. Structure in accordance with claim 1, further characterized in that the openings in said lugs on said cover element are disposed laterally with respect to a vertical plane passing through the axis of rotation of said handle element, in a direction toward the uppermost portion of said cover, whereby said handle in manually disengaged condition will tend to fall under the action of gravity to press upon said cover element and maintain it in closed condition upon said container element.

5. Structure in accordance with claim 4, said hand e element including side portions which are bent toward said uppermost portion of said cover.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,472,707 10/1923 Weisz 220-36 FOREIGN PATENTS 627,169 8/1949 Great Britain.

GEORGE T. HALL, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

